Not many blog posts lately. We moved 2 weeks ago - away from the pond and to a condo. It is hard for me... away from my kayak spot, my summer tranquility but we are closing to the ocean and less stress with a condo. I have been reading though - just not always blogging...
Grace, Carter, the dog, and their dad set out for Blood Mountain. But, when Carter goes way ahead and then Grace follows they get lost and separated from their dad. The their dad has a heart attack. Once Grace and Carter realize they are lost they try to get to higher ground to see if they can find a path, a road, anything. But Grace falls and gets hurt pretty bad. So, Carter leaves to get help. Unfortunately, it's not just the wilderness and injury they have to contend with but also a mysterious mountain man and an escaped mountain lion.
Will they all make it out?
As I am writing this it seems to me that there are a lot of obstacles - maybe too many. But hey this is a children's book. I enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGally and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Description
Told in alternating points-of-view, James Preller's powerful middle-grade survival story will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Carter and his older sister Grace thought the hike with their dad and their dog would be uneventful. If anything, they figured it was Dad’s way of getting them off their screens for a while.

But the hike on Blood Mountain turns ominous, as the siblings are separated from their father, and soon, battling the elements. They are lost.

They are being hunted, but who will reach them first? The young ranger leading the search? Or the mysterious mountain man who has gone off the grid?

I must say that this story had my anxiety up high. I'm not a huge fan of doom and gloom and that's all I could think about. The kids go ahead of their dad on the trail - the dad collapses from a heart attack - the kids get lost. There's a strange man out there - is he hunting them? The graphic skinning of a squirrel was a bit much for me.

My own personal star rating would net this book 1.5 stars out of 5, but I don't feel I should rate it that low just because I was uncomfortable with some things. There is definitely an audience out there for it so I'll go with 4 stars. It was well written, the narrative was good, and decent character development.

When Grace and Carter set out on a hike with their father in Crater Lake National Park, they have no idea what awaits them. After getting separated from their father and losing the trail, will they be able to survive in the wilderness on their own? To make matters more difficult, a rogue mountain lion is on the loose, and their every move is being watched by a hidden presence in the woods. Will an intrepid park ranger be able to locate the kids before it's too late? This superbly-crafted tale is a must-add to any library where fans of the "I Survived" series exist. Middle-grade students will devour this exciting wilderness adventure.

Dad takes his two kids hiking a mountain. They go on ahead at Dad's insistence (he's only slowing them down; that indigestion, man), but go on a little too far. Dad collapses of a heart attack on the trail. He's not coming for them. They're alone. They're scared. They're desperate. And then one breaks an ankle and the younger brother has to go out alone to find help. And he does find someone, but the man he finds is a little... off.

This may be Preller's best yet. The uneasiness around John, before we know if he's dangerous or not. The palpable sense of desperation. The fear and dread, the attempts to keep their minds off the terrible things that could--and probably would--befall them. True, heavy detail on wilderness survival skills that doesn't feel in any way extraneous (oh, the DETAIL on how to field-dress a squirrel!). This isn't just a story, flat on the page; the narrative brings with it emotions, fear, dread.

Via NetGalley. Thanks, NetGalley!